Name that fish...Caught on a party boat in NJ in 2014

[Senor Snagger]

Looks like a steelhead but nobody I know stocks them on the east coast so they can run to the sea

Edited March 15, 2015 by Senor Snagger

[GAMBLER]

Holy Sh*t.  He was a little lost.  I read an article about this not too long ago!

[bandrus1]

probably a great lake escapee 

[Senor Snagger]

Ben- escaped into NJ?

[Gill-T]

The Canadians are moving steelhead stocking to mostly Western ports of Lake Ontario because they are finding steelhead are breeding in tribs of the St. Lawrence River.

[TileMan Dan]

Maybe a sea run brown? Jersey was stocking them in the Manasquan River years ago, but I believe they discontinued because they got no angler feed back if they were catching any.

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[bandrus1]

Ben- escaped into NJ?

There was an article like 2 months ago that stated that some great lake steelhead had migrated out into the Atlantic amazingly

[Senor Snagger]

No kidding. Wow. See even upstate NY fish want to live in Jersey.

[ReelPower]

That tail doesn't look right for a Steelie. No spots and a fork. I think oddly spotted Atlantic drop back.

[fishfearme]

My guess is a Atlantic. Maybe one of the few that make it back to the Connecticut river?

[canadadude]

It's an Atlantic Salmon

 

[Sk8man]

The spots don't look right for an Atlantic and it looks to me that there are spots on the lower portion of the tail as well. It certainly doesn't look like a healthy fish either way with the proportionally large head and extremely slender body. I've been wondering for some time if the reason both the Canadians and US were having such poor returns to the streams if something like this wasn't happening (running from Ontario via St. Lawrence and down the Hudson to the Atlantic. I even mentioned awhile back in one of my posts.I think it is very conceivable that Atlantics and perhaps steelies could do it. On the other hand the Pacific salmon are ocean dwellers  are some of the adult Chinook and Coho also doing it ?

Edited March 15, 2015 by Sk8man

[Storm Warning II]

Leftover natural? http://www.nytimes.com/1988/05/01/sports/outdoors-stocking-of-raritan-angers-fishermen.html

[Big Dave]

Don't they stock trout in some of the Long Island streams ? 

[TileMan Dan]

This is the first I'm hearing about Chinook and Steelhead in the Raritan.

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[Gray Fox]

I think pat Carr from Moscow pa ran the program

[GAMBLER]

This is the first I'm hearing about Chinook and Steelhead in the Raritan.

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

The article was from 1988.  I wonder how long it lasted? 

[TileMan Dan]

Didn't move to NJ until 93. Makes sense that I never heard of it before.

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

[Gill-T]

Let me get this straight......the NYSDEC gave New Jersey steelhead and salmon eggs to develop a PACIFIC species fishery on the Atlantic side.....  If this is true HOW THE HELL ARE WE SUPPOSE TO TAKE THE DEC STANCE THAT THEY ARE CONSERVATION MINDED AND ARE PRO NATIVE SPECIES AND AGAINST EXOTIC SPECIES?????  THIS IS AS STUPID AS CANADIANS FARM RAISING ATLANTICS ON THE PACIFIC COAST.  I see someone mentioned the article was from 1988.  Man I hope smarter minds prevailed.

Edited March 15, 2015 by Gill-T

[Richard]

Massachusetts have been stocking trout sense before I was a kid. Rainbows, Browns and brookies.

[GAMBLER]

Let me get this straight......the NYSDEC gave New Jersey steelhead and salmon eggs to develop a PACIFIC species fishery on the Atlantic side.....  If this is true HOW THE HELL ARE WE SUPPOSE TO TAKE THE DEC STANCE THAT THEY ARE CONSERVATION MINDED AND ARE PRO NATIVE SPECIES AND AGAINST EXOTIC SPECIES?????  THIS IS AS STUPID AS CANADIANS FARM RAISING ATLANTICS ON THE PACIFIC COAST.  I see someone mentioned the article was from 1988.  Man I hope smarter minds prevailed.

Conservation takes a back seat to $$$$$$.....

[Senor Snagger]

Let me get this straight......the NYSDEC gave New Jersey steelhead and salmon eggs to develop a PACIFIC species fishery on the Atlantic side.....  If this is true HOW THE HELL ARE WE SUPPOSE TO TAKE THE DEC STANCE THAT THEY ARE CONSERVATION MINDED AND ARE PRO NATIVE SPECIES AND AGAINST EXOTIC SPECIES?????  THIS IS AS STUPID AS CANADIANS FARM RAISING ATLANTICS ON THE PACIFIC COAST.  I see someone mentioned the article was from 1988.  Man I hope smarter minds prevailed.

That's a bit of a hypocritical statement. You catch pacific salmon, pacific trout, and a trout that is native to Germany in NY.

[Gill-T]

Exactly Senior Snagger!  You are making my point for me.  The DEC is hypocritical stocking species all over the place at their discretion.  Now this has opened up wonderful opportunities for us sportsman ....for sure!  So on one hand they are planting "exotic" species then take an anti-exotic stance when money is involved.....see also King Salmon vs Lake Trout.  Hypocrisy. 

 

PS: Some interesting reading about what the Canadian Atlantic Salmon farming program has done to the Pacific Salmon on the west coast.

[fishfearme]

Leftover natural? http://www.nytimes.com/1988/05/01/sports/outdoors-stocking-of-raritan-angers-fishermen.html

That would have to REALLY leftover. That article is dated 1988. I doubt there has been natural breeding going on for 25 years without anyone noticing.

[baitrigger]

People have noticed. There eas an article in on the water magizine. They had a whole page of pics of ugly lookin atlantics. Caught by surf casters targeting stripers. They show up, who knows where they come from?